[unreadable] UW-Madison has the largest research commitment of any school or college on campus, receiving more than $130 million in research support in fiscal 2000. Approximately 580 faculty members, working in 25 departments and 19 centers and institutes, have active research programs covering virtually every aspect of basic or clinical biomedical research. The purpose of the Clinical Research Scholar (CRS) Program is to provide financial support for junior faculty who wish to participate in the UW-Madison Clinical Investigator Preparatory Program (K30 Program) and assure them protected time to conduct mentored clinical research. Specific objectives of the CRS program are to 1) provide an individualized didactic training program in biostatistics, study design, bioethics, scientific writing and presentation, leadership, teaching, responsible conduct of research and discipline-specific or interdisciplinary research; 2) provide salary support to protect at least 75% of a trainee's time for mentored research and training; 3) award trainees a Professional Certificate or Master of Science Degree to credential their preparation to conduct clinical research; 4) support and encourage the career development of women and minorities in clinical research; 5) maintain a comprehensive evaluation plan that assesses the trainees' accomplishments and the CRS Program's success. The applicants have highlighted the accomplishments of faculty mentors from a variety of disciplines including medicine, pediatrics, cardiology, oncology, women's health, geriatrics, psychiatry, psychology and surgery who can provide multidisciplinary research experiences that will foster the career development of clinical investigators. Furthermore, the UW-Madison CRS Program plan emphasizes recruitment of underrepresented minorities and includes an extensive evaluation plan that formatively and summatively assesses the trainees, mentors, instructors, curriculum and overall program plan. After completing the CRS Program, UW-Madison trainees will receive a Capstone or Graduate Certificate or a Master of Science degree that should have prepared them to be successful and independent clinical investigators. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]